Looking to buy RV

[KentMcLachlan]

Hi my name isKent
My wife and i are looking at a 1988 Honey 20ft Ford V8 motorhome.looking forsuggestions
Thanks

 

[Isaac-1]

My only suggestion is that if you are considering any RV of that vintage is that you better be very handy and very mechanically inclined, as in you restore antique cars as hobby. 

 

[darsben]

They can be a money pit.
First is there any sign of water infiltration on the ceiling, walls, in closets etc? That can be a big problem. Check the roof for problems such as poorly caulked spots, tears in the roof anywhere water can infiltrate. If any spots then look in coach for a leakage sign

Tires if over 5-6 years old need to be replaced. This IS NOT dependent on the depth of the tire tread. Rv tires deteriorate from exposure to the sun and not being driven much. A blowout can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage.  Tires can be expensive.

Spend some money and have a mechanic look over the vehicle portion to make sure mechanically sound

refrigerators can be a big money item so see the fridge operate on both A/C  power and gas.  Does the water heater work.

Belts, hoses etc can be deteriorated from age so they may need tending to, so nothing happens on the road.

You will most likely need new batteries to power the house portion. These will be about $150 each for 2, 6 volt batteries .

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Agree with the others, so be extra cautious about the condition of both the house part and the vehicle. Ya gotta start somewhere, though, and not everybody can afford a late model RV.

Fuel economy, never good in any RV, is going to be especially bad in that era.  The 1980's were not a great time for American cars & light trucks.

Figure that the RV will weigh up near its max limit (GVWR) just with the body on the van chassis, so little capacity for passengers and gear.

 

[Oldgator73]

My only suggestion is that if you are considering any RV of that vintage is that you better be very handy and very mechanically inclined, as in you restore antique cars as hobby.

Very true statement. We have a 2016 Winnebago TT. So no motor. I have had to take windows out and reseal due to leaks.  The sewer connection has been torn loose by road hazards. I had to fix that. Two of my stabilizer jacks were ripped off by road debris. Had to temporarily fix those on the side of the Interstate and eventually replace them. The gas BBQ connection was broken off by road debris; had to fix that. A tree limb speared the skylight in the bathroom. Had to take the broken one out and replace it. Haven?t even gotten to the inside stuff. If it was a motor home I would have to pay someone to fix any problems with drivetrain. You have to carry enough tools with you to temporarily fix things on the road until you get to a place for a permanent fix. Buy stock in Duct Tape and Baling Wire manufacturers.

 

[KentMcLachlan]

Thanks for the advice. Will take into consideration all suggestions

 

[Our First RV]

Check the manufacturing month/year to see if the chassis is '87 or '88!
A 1988 chassis gets you EFI on the 460 engine instead of a carburetor!
Way less headaches with an EFI engine.

 

[darsben]

Check the manufacturing month/year to see if the chassis is '87 or '88!
A 1988 chassis gets you EFI on the 460 engine instead of a carburetor!
Way less headaches with an EFI engine.

To add to this answer.
a 1988 motor home may well be built on a 1987 chassis. It is perfectly acceptable, common  and legal